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Enrollment growth in the St. Vrain Valley School District exceeds expectations

Nearly 1,000 new students enroll in SVVSD schools, twice as many as projected

By Victoria A.F. CamronLongmont Times-Call

Posted:
10/17/2012 08:39:08 PM MDT

Updated:
10/18/2012 07:51:28 AM MDT

Teacher Debbie Simms asks a group of third, fourth and fifth graders to act out a description of a tree from a poem to help them make a visual and kinesthetic connection to the reading Wednesday at Lyons Elementary School.
(Matthew Jonas/Times-Call)

LONGMONT -- Lyons Elementary School is bursting at the seams, but it's still growing.

Preliminary results from the St. Vrain Valley School District's Oct. 1 count show that 321 students -- 39 more than last year -- are enrolled in the school.

Principal Christa Keppler said the growth is spread out evenly among the grades, making class sizes a little bigger this year.

Enrollment changes in the St. Vrain Valley School District

Schools with the most growth

Red Hawk Elementary: 27.8 percent increase

Flagstaff Academy (middle school): 16.1 percent increase

St. Vrain Community Montessori: 16 percent increase

Mead High: 15.7 percent increase

Frederick High: 15.4 percent increase

Legacy Elementary: 15.5 percent increase

Aspen Ridge Preparatory School: 14 percent increase

Lyons Elementary: 13.8 percent increase

Mountain View Elementary: 13.2 percent increase

Altona Middle School: 11.8 percent increase

Twin Peaks Secondary Academy (6-12): 11.1 percent increase

Black Rock Elementary: 10.3 percent increase

Erie Middle: 10.3 percent increase

District growth

Elementary schools: 13,595 in October 2012; 13,216 in October 2011; 2.9 percent increase

Secondary schools: 13,925 in October 2012; 13,337 in October 2011; 4.4 percent increase

Total (traditional and charter schools): 27,520 in October 2012; 26,553 in October 2011; 3.6 percent increase

All figures are preliminary and subject to audit. Source: St. Vrain Valley School District

Harrison Abernathy, Nick Boggess and Christopher Brown, from left, work on a reading lesson with a science focus in Amy Stahl's fifth grade class Wednesday at Lyons Elementary School. The classroom is filled with a variety of desks, tables, couches and chairs that more efficiently use the space and create less separation between the students. The school has 39 more students than last year.
(Matthew Jonas)

At the end of September, the district allotted an additional half-time position to the school because of the increased enrollment, Keppler said. The staff decided to hire a part-time paraprofessional, or classroom aide, that is shared among all grades.

That gives teachers more support, but space is still an issue.

"We are getting creative with our space," Keppler said. Small-group instruction is taking place in the cafeteria before lunchtime, and rooms that once were offices are now used for classes.

Lyons isn't the only school that has seen large enrollment increases this year. From Red Hawk Elementary School in Erie, to Mead High School, to Frederick High School, enrollment is growing. The numbers still need to be audited, but early returns on the Oct. 1 count -- the date the state uses to determine school funding -- show an increase of 967 students.

Because kindergarten and some high school students aren't counted as full-time students, the head count equals 642 full-time-equivalent students, according to budget director Greg Fieth.

If that holds, the district will see an additional $4 million in revenue this year. Some of that, however, will be spent on additional staff.

So far, the district has added 13 FTE staff, and could add 2.5 more next week, said chief financial officer Terry Schueler.

Schueler pointed out that the extra revenue means only that the district will spend less of its reserves than it planned to this year. It budgeted to spend $5.75 million, 15 percent of its reserve funds.

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